


The candles are on fire so our sex doesn't have to be

by drachoemaloy



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Asexual Bucky Barnes, Asexual Character, Bucky thinks Tony is v attractive, Candles, I have a love/hate relationship with this title, Insecure Tony, M/M, as a result of hydra, but Kings of Leon reference, communicating like actual adults, it took me way too long to think of and isn't that good, rated teen for one naughty word
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:53:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25935466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drachoemaloy/pseuds/drachoemaloy
Summary: “Do you think I’m attractive?” He winced right after he said it and again when Bucky sighed. Tony wanted to run and hide.“Do I think you’re attractive? Will you give me time to think about that one?” Bucky joked. Tony didn’t smile.*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Tony asks a question that's been bugging him for a while. They actually communicate.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Comments: 4
Kudos: 174





	The candles are on fire so our sex doesn't have to be

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote bits of this in a chemistry lesson more than a year ago and I dug it out as a last resort to procrastinate actually important work.

It’s not like Tony wanted to ask the question. Well, he didn’t not want to ask either. He was mainly indifferent about the outcome. No, indifferent didn’t quite fit. He did care and would react differently according to the answer. He just- he had to know.

Bucky and he had been having so much fun over the last few weeks and Tony actually cared about it. He didn’t want to lose Bucky. But, sitting in a candlelit room in only his silk boxers, trying to get Bucky’s attention by running his foot up and down his leg… he just needed to know. It wasn’t something Tony was used to – not getting a reaction – and it had nothing to do with his ego but…

“Are you asexual?” Tony spoke over the music he’d put on to set the mood. He pulled his foot away and tucked it under himself, suddenly feeling shameful. Finally, _finally_ , Bucky looked up from his book.

“What?” Bucky asked with an adorable confused smile.

“Are you? Asexual? It’s fine if you are, I just would like to know.” Tony tried to look his partner in the eye, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. What if Bucky was just repulsed by the idea of Tony? What if it had nothing to do with sex and Bucky just didn’t actually like him?

“I’m sorry honey, I don’t know what that means.” Tony looked up to see Bucky flush and immediately moved to fix his mistake. Tony never intended for Bucky to feel embarrassed about this conversation. Of course, his super soldier wouldn’t be familiar with the term – he was only just getting acquainted with the community.

“Without sexual feelings or desires,” Tony defined quickly, “I’m not making excuses for myself, but this is like the fourth or fifth time I’ve tried initiating sex with you, and you’re not getting it. I just wanna know so I can adapt for that. Adapt for you.” Tony stopped talking when a hand was placed on his ankle. He looked at the man attached to the arm and bit his lip. Bucky was frowning. Tony cringed in on himself. He was messing this all up. Bucky opened his mouth to say something, but Tony beat him to it. “Do you think I’m attractive?” He winced right after he said it and again when Bucky sighed. Tony wanted to run and hide.

“Do I think you’re attractive? Will you give me time to think about that one?” Bucky joked. Tony didn’t smile. “Yes, Tony. Your spirit is beautiful and you’re so kind and warm and-”

“Physically,” Tony demanded, only half caring he interrupted.

Bucky stared at him.

“I don’t think I’ve met anyone in my hundred years of life who I find more attractive. Sometimes, I catch myself just looking at you because I can’t tear my eyes away from your gorgeous sun-kissed skin, wishing I could worship every freckle across your body. But I force myself to – look away I mean – otherwise I’d be stuck taking in every aspect of your being, stuck wanting to trace the ways your eyes crinkle, or the curve of your enticing lips, or your jawline covered by that ridiculously stunning beard. And I feel like I should be embarrassed by how breathless watching your hands when your tinkering makes me, or how I can perfectly describe the way you look with your arms crossed, due to the sheer amount of time I’ve spent learning the way your body moves to fit that form. The second I met you, I knew I would spend every second within your proximity studying your every asset, or die not knowing how perfection looks. I’d say I were stuck in a curse if being able to look at you didn’t fill me with so much pleasure. So, yes, Tony, I think you’re attractive.”

Tony, on his part, was rather speechless. He had only wanted a yes or no, not… not _that_.

“But, um,” Tony snapped out of trying to recall every word Bucky had said and focused on the man before him, who suddenly seemed less sure of himself, “sex is, well… I don’t know. I guess Hydra fucked me up that bad eh?”

“No!” Tony automatically argued, and Bucky squeezed his ankle, “I mean – that’s – I don’t even – no! You, Bucky Barnes, are perfect. If you don’t want to then we don’t have to, simple as. I’m just saying that there’s nothing Hydra did that we can’t reverse. You don’t have to, but we could work on it if that’s something you wanted.”

“Do you want?” 

Tony took Bucky’s hand from his ankle and held it in his own. “It’s not up to me. I want to be with you in whatever way I can have. If you don’t want anything sexual, I can deal with my needs, and that’s more than okay. It’s your choice, hon, and I need you to know that I’m on board with whatever you choose.”

“Sex is kinda your thing, right?” Bucky tried to lighten the mood, “It used to be my thing too. Now the thought of it just makes me, I don’t even know, bored? Can I have time to think about it?”

“Of course you can. Whatever you need.” Tony squeezed his hand, and Bucky nodded. “Hey, look at us communicating like adults.” Bucky laughed and reached forward to pull Tony closer to him.

“You’ve really been tryna get my attention, huh?”

“Look around you, Buck. I’m pretty sure that amount of candles is a safety hazard.”


End file.
